Atlanta Voters Approve Infrastructure Bond Referendum

Atlanta voters have decided to give the city permission to issue up to $250 million in bonds to begin tackling the most pressing infrastructure crises facing motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, and mass transit users and to begin upgrading outdated municipal facilities.

According to data from the Fulton County Department of Registration and Elections, both measures on the infrastructure bond ballot passed by over 85 percent. Question 1, asking whether or not the city could issue $178 million in bonds to pay for the first chunk of transportation improvements, passed with 88.21 percent of the vote. Question 2, asking if the city could issue $64 million in bonds to pay for municipal building upgrades, passed with 85.52 percent acceptance rate.

Despite the landslide victory for the bond issuance, voter turnout was extremely low; only around 20,000 people voted in the referendum, data from the department shows.

City officials say that there’s a nearly $1 billion backlog in infrastructure repairs needed for the continued growth and sustainability of Atlanta, so additional bond referendums may come in the near future.

Taxpayers, who are usually on the hook when bonds are issued, will get off easy due to the city’s plan to redirect funds it generates by cutting expenses to the bond payments, Atlanta InTown says.

Although an official project list has not been finalized and will not be finalized until April, a full list of potential projects has been posted online by the city.